National Senior Certificate (NSC) — Matric — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Choose the correctly punctuated sentence.

Where are you going!
Where are you going? (Correct answer)
Where are you going.
where are you going?

Correct answer: Where are you going?

A direct question must end with a question mark and begin with a capital letter.

Question 2: What is the basic structural and functional unit of all living organisms?

The tissue
The cell (Correct answer)
The molecule
The organ

Correct answer: The cell

The cell is the smallest unit that can carry out all the processes of life.

Question 3: What are the roots of the equation x^2 - 5x + 6 = 0?

x = 2 and x = 3 (Correct answer)
x = 1 and x = 6
x = 5 and x = 6
x = -2 and x = -3

Correct answer: x = 2 and x = 3

Factorise: (x - 2)(x - 3) = 0, so x = 2 or x = 3.

Question 4: In which financial statement would you find the net profit of a business?

Debtors Ledger
Cash Flow Statement
Statement of Comprehensive Income (Income Statement) (Correct answer)
Statement of Financial Position

Correct answer: Statement of Comprehensive Income (Income Statement)

Net profit is calculated in the Statement of Comprehensive Income (Income Statement) as income less expenses.

Question 5: Which type of economic activity involves providing services to consumers rather than producing goods?

Tertiary sector (Correct answer)
Extraction sector
Secondary sector
Primary sector

Correct answer: Tertiary sector

The tertiary sector covers service industries such as retail, banking, education, healthcare, and tourism that serve consumers directly.

Question 6: What is the term for the movement of people from rural areas to urban areas in search of better employment and services?

Emigration
Rural-urban migration (Correct answer)
Counter-urbanisation
Immigration

Correct answer: Rural-urban migration

Rural-urban migration describes the internal movement of people from the countryside to towns and cities, driven by economic and social pull factors.

Question 7: What is the process by which green plants make food using sunlight?

Transpiration
Respiration
Digestion
Photosynthesis (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis uses light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

Question 8: Identify the figure of speech: 'The wind whispered through the trees.'

Personification (Correct answer)
Hyperbole
Simile
Metaphor

Correct answer: Personification

Giving the wind the human ability to 'whisper' is personification.

Question 9: Choose the antonym (opposite) of 'expand'.

Grow
Increase
Contract (Correct answer)
Stretch

Correct answer: Contract

'Contract' means to become smaller, the opposite of 'expand'.

Question 10: What term describes permanently frozen subsoil found in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions that remains frozen throughout the year?

Glacier
Ice sheet
Permafrost (Correct answer)
Tundra

Correct answer: Permafrost

Permafrost is a subsurface layer of soil or rock that remains at or below 0°C for at least two consecutive years, found in regions like Siberia and northern Canada.

Question 11: Convert 2.5 kilometres to metres.

25 m
2 500 m (Correct answer)
250 m
25 000 m

Correct answer: 2 500 m

1 km = 1 000 m, so 2.5 km = 2.5 × 1 000 = 2 500 m.

Question 12: Which quantity is a vector?

Speed
Distance
Mass
Velocity (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Velocity

Velocity has both magnitude and direction, making it a vector. Speed, distance and mass are scalars.

Question 13: In the reaction 2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O, what is the type of reaction?

Decomposition
Neutralisation
Displacement
Synthesis (combination) (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Synthesis (combination)

Two reactants combine to form a single product, which is a synthesis (combination) reaction.

Question 14: What is the primary chemical cause of ozone layer depletion in the stratosphere?

Methane (CH₄)
Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) (Correct answer)
Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)

Correct answer: Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

CFCs release chlorine atoms when broken down by UV radiation in the stratosphere; each chlorine atom can destroy thousands of ozone molecules.

Question 15: A shop adds 15% VAT to a jacket priced at R400 (excluding VAT). What is the price including VAT?

R460 (Correct answer)
R415
R440
R600

Correct answer: R460

VAT = 15% of R400 = R60. Price including VAT = R400 + R60 = R460.

Question 16: The probability of an event is 0.35. What is the probability that the event does NOT occur?

0.70
0.35
0.50
0.65 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 0.65

P(not A) = 1 - P(A) = 1 - 0.35 = 0.65.

Question 17: Which sector of the economy involves the extraction of raw natural resources such as mining, farming, and fishing?

Primary sector (Correct answer)
Secondary sector
Quaternary sector
Tertiary sector

Correct answer: Primary sector

The primary sector encompasses all activities that extract or harvest natural resources directly from the earth or sea.

Question 18: On a standard South African topographic map (1:50 000), what colour is conventionally used to represent water features such as rivers and dams?

Blue (Correct answer)
Brown
Green
Black

Correct answer: Blue

Blue is the internationally recognised cartographic convention for depicting water features, including rivers, lakes, dams, and the sea.

Question 19: Which of the following is a current liability?

Land and buildings
Creditors control (Correct answer)
Fixed deposit
Vehicles

Correct answer: Creditors control

Creditors control (trade creditors) is a current liability because it is normally settled within one year.

Question 20: Money the owner takes out of the business for personal use is recorded as:

Loan
Salary
Drawings (Correct answer)
Capital

Correct answer: Drawings

Drawings represent assets withdrawn by the owner for personal use, which reduce owner's equity.

Question 21: On a 1:50 000 topographic map, two points are 4 cm apart. What is the actual ground distance between them?

500 m
2 km (Correct answer)
1 km
4 km

Correct answer: 2 km

Ground distance = map distance × scale denominator: 4 cm × 50 000 = 200 000 cm = 2 000 m = 2 km.

Question 22: What is the term for the flat, low-lying land on either side of a river that is periodically flooded and covered with deposited sediment?

Delta
Alluvial fan
Flood plain (Correct answer)
Estuary

Correct answer: Flood plain

A flood plain is formed by the deposition of fine sediment during river flooding, creating fertile, flat land alongside the river channel.

Question 23: Which organelle is known as the powerhouse of the cell?

Ribosome
Nucleus
Golgi body
Mitochondrion (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Mitochondrion

The mitochondrion produces ATP through cellular respiration, providing energy for the cell.

Question 24: What is the basic accounting equation?

Profit = Assets - Capital
Assets = Income - Expenses
Assets = Owner's Equity + Liabilities (Correct answer)
Capital = Assets + Liabilities

Correct answer: Assets = Owner's Equity + Liabilities

The accounting equation states that Assets = Owner's Equity + Liabilities, and it must always balance.

Question 25: DNA carries the genetic code. What are the four bases of DNA?

A, T, C and U
A, T, G and C (Correct answer)
T, U, G and C
A, U, G and C

Correct answer: A, T, G and C

DNA bases are adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G) and cytosine (C). Uracil replaces thymine only in RNA.

Question 26: A taxi charges a flat fee of R12 plus R3 per kilometre. What does a 10 km trip cost?

R48
R30
R42 (Correct answer)
R36

Correct answer: R42

Cost = R12 + (R3 × 10) = R12 + R30 = R42.

Question 27: Choose the correct word: 'The learners _____ writing their final examination next week.'

be
is
was
are (Correct answer)

Correct answer: are

'Learners' is plural, so it takes the plural verb 'are'.

Question 28: Which gas is taken in by humans during breathing and used in cellular respiration?

Carbon dioxide
Hydrogen
Oxygen (Correct answer)
Nitrogen

Correct answer: Oxygen

Oxygen is taken in and used to release energy from glucose during aerobic cellular respiration.

Question 29: What type of bond forms between a metal and a non-metal through the transfer of electrons?

Hydrogen bond
Covalent bond
Ionic bond (Correct answer)
Metallic bond

Correct answer: Ionic bond

Ionic bonds form when electrons transfer from a metal to a non-metal, creating oppositely charged ions that attract.

Question 30: What is the process called where heated air near the Earth's surface rises, cools, and sinks again, driving weather patterns?

Convection (Correct answer)
Radiation
Condensation
Conduction

Correct answer: Convection

Convection is the transfer of heat through the movement of a fluid (air), where warm air rises and cooler air sinks, creating convection currents that drive weather.

Question 31: What is the contour interval on a map?

The steepness of a slope
The fixed difference in elevation between consecutive contour lines (Correct answer)
The distance between two points on a map
The ratio between map distance and ground distance

Correct answer: The fixed difference in elevation between consecutive contour lines

The contour interval is the constant difference in height between two adjacent contour lines, determined by the map's scale and purpose.

Question 32: Which of the following is a direct consequence of deforestation?

Increased soil erosion by wind and water (Correct answer)
Increased rainfall in the region
Decreased levels of carbon dioxide
Increased biodiversity in the area

Correct answer: Increased soil erosion by wind and water

Without tree roots binding the soil, deforested land is highly vulnerable to erosion by rain and wind, leading to soil degradation and sedimentation of rivers.

Question 33: In the arithmetic sequence 7; 11; 15; 19; ... what is the value of the 20th term?

79
91
87
83 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 83

The first term a = 7 and common difference d = 4. Tn = a + (n-1)d, so T20 = 7 + 19(4) = 7 + 76 = 83.

Question 34: Which cloud type is characterised by its towering, anvil-shaped structure and is associated with thunderstorms and heavy rainfall?

Stratus
Cumulus
Cumulonimbus (Correct answer)
Cirrus

Correct answer: Cumulonimbus

Cumulonimbus clouds extend to great heights in the troposphere and produce thunder, lightning, heavy rain, and sometimes hail.

Question 35: An object of mass 5 kg accelerates at 2 m·s⁻². What is the net force acting on it?

3 N
7 N
2.5 N
10 N (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 10 N

Newton's second law: F = ma = 5 × 2 = 10 N.

Question 36: If f(x) = 2x^2 - 3x + 1, what is f(-2)?

15 (Correct answer)
11
-1
3

Correct answer: 15

f(-2) = 2(-2)^2 - 3(-2) + 1 = 2(4) + 6 + 1 = 8 + 6 + 1 = 15.

Question 37: What concept describes development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs?

Sustainable development (Correct answer)
Environmental impact assessment
Conservation
Preservation

Correct answer: Sustainable development

Sustainable development, defined in the 1987 Brundtland Report, balances economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection for long-term well-being.

Question 38: If trading stock costing R5 000 is sold for R8 000, what is the gross profit?

R13 000
R8 000
R5 000
R3 000 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: R3 000

Gross profit = sales - cost of sales = R8 000 - R5 000 = R3 000.

Question 39: In humans, which blood vessels carry blood away from the heart?

Veins
Capillaries
Arteries (Correct answer)
Venules

Correct answer: Arteries

Arteries carry blood away from the heart, usually under high pressure. Veins return blood to the heart.

Question 40: A recipe for 4 people uses 600 g of flour. How much flour is needed for 6 people?

750 g
800 g
1 200 g
900 g (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 900 g

Flour per person = 600 ÷ 4 = 150 g. For 6 people: 150 × 6 = 900 g.

Question 41: A rectangular garden is 8 m long and 5 m wide. What is its area?

40 m² (Correct answer)
13 m²
26 m²
80 m²

Correct answer: 40 m²

Area of a rectangle = length × width = 8 × 5 = 40 m².

Question 42: South Africa's most populous metropolitan area, which forms the economic heartland of the country, is located in which province?

KwaZulu-Natal
Gauteng (Correct answer)
Western Cape
Eastern Cape

Correct answer: Gauteng

Gauteng, containing Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, is South Africa's most densely populated province and its economic centre.

Question 43: Which of the following is the chemical formula for water?

H₂O (Correct answer)
H₂O₂
OH
CO₂

Correct answer: H₂O

Water consists of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, written as H₂O.

Question 44: In the sentence 'She read the article quickly', which word is the adverb?

She
quickly (Correct answer)
article
read

Correct answer: quickly

'Quickly' describes how she read, modifying the verb, so it is an adverb.

Question 45: Which type of weathering breaks rocks into smaller pieces WITHOUT changing their chemical composition?

Chemical weathering
Biological weathering
Mechanical (physical) weathering (Correct answer)
Carbonation

Correct answer: Mechanical (physical) weathering

Mechanical (physical) weathering, such as freeze-thaw action and exfoliation, disintegrates rocks without altering the minerals they are made of.

Question 46: Which word is a synonym for 'difficult'?

Simple
Easy
Pleasant
Challenging (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Challenging

'Challenging' has a similar meaning to 'difficult'. The others are opposite or unrelated in meaning.

Question 47: A car depreciates on a reducing-balance basis at 15% per year. If it is worth R200 000 now, what is it worth after 1 year?

R170 000 (Correct answer)
R150 000
R230 000
R185 000

Correct answer: R170 000

Reducing balance: value = 200000 × (1 - 0.15) = 200000 × 0.85 = R170 000.

Question 48: What is the term for the rapid, unplanned expansion of informal settlements on the outskirts of cities?

Urban sprawl (Correct answer)
Gentrification
Suburbanisation
Counter-urbanisation

Correct answer: Urban sprawl

Urban sprawl refers to the uncontrolled spread of urban development, including informal settlements, beyond established city boundaries into surrounding areas.

Question 49: What is the SI unit of force?

Newton (Correct answer)
Watt
Joule
Pascal

Correct answer: Newton

Force is measured in newtons (N), defined as the force that gives a 1 kg mass an acceleration of 1 m·s⁻².

Question 50: Which part of the human eye controls the amount of light entering it?

Lens
Iris (Correct answer)
Retina
Cornea

Correct answer: Iris

The iris adjusts the size of the pupil to control how much light enters the eye.

Question 51: What is the term for the number of people per unit area, usually expressed as people per square kilometre?

Population size
Population density (Correct answer)
Population distribution
Population growth rate

Correct answer: Population density

Population density is calculated by dividing the total population by the total land area, indicating how crowded a region is.

Question 52: Change to reported speech: He said, 'I am tired.' becomes: He said that he _____ tired.

is
were
was (Correct answer)
am

Correct answer: was

In reported speech the present tense 'am' shifts back to the past tense 'was'.

Question 53: Which of the following is a PUSH factor that drives people to leave their home area?

Drought and crop failure (Correct answer)
Better job opportunities in cities
Improved schools elsewhere
Higher wages in urban areas

Correct answer: Drought and crop failure

Push factors are negative conditions in a person's current location — such as drought, unemployment, or conflict — that force them to move away.

Question 54: Calculate the work done when a force of 20 N moves an object 4 m in the direction of the force.

80 J (Correct answer)
5 J
24 J
16 J

Correct answer: 80 J

Work = force × distance = 20 × 4 = 80 J.

Question 55: The median of the data set 4; 7; 9; 12; 18 is which value?

10
9 (Correct answer)
7
12

Correct answer: 9

The median is the middle value of an ordered list. With five values, the third value is the median: 9.

Question 56: A learner scored 36 out of 50 in a test. What is this as a percentage?

64%
68%
72% (Correct answer)
76%

Correct answer: 72%

Percentage = (36 ÷ 50) × 100 = 72%.

Question 57: What is the gradient of the line joining the points A(2; 3) and B(6; 11)?

2 (Correct answer)
8
1/2
4

Correct answer: 2

Gradient m = (y2 - y1)/(x2 - x1) = (11 - 3)/(6 - 2) = 8/4 = 2.

Question 58: What is the acceleration due to gravity near the Earth's surface (used in Grade 12)?

9.8 m·s⁻² (Correct answer)
1.8 m·s⁻²
10 m·s⁻¹
98 m·s⁻²

Correct answer: 9.8 m·s⁻²

The value of gravitational acceleration used in the NSC syllabus is 9.8 m·s⁻² directed downwards.

Question 59: What is the term for the process of wearing away and transporting surface material by agents such as water, wind, and ice?

Erosion (Correct answer)
Deposition
Infiltration
Weathering

Correct answer: Erosion

Erosion involves both the detachment and removal of rock and soil particles from the Earth's surface by water, wind, glaciers, or waves.

Question 60: Which type of rock is formed when magma cools and solidifies, either below or on the Earth's surface?

Sedimentary
Metamorphic
Organic
Igneous (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Igneous

Igneous rocks form from the cooling and crystallisation of molten magma; intrusive types (e.g. granite) cool slowly underground, while extrusive types (e.g. basalt) cool quickly on the surface.

Question 61: A business buys equipment for cash. How are the accounts affected?

Assets increase and liabilities increase
Owner's equity increases
One asset increases and another asset decreases (Correct answer)
Liabilities decrease and equity decreases

Correct answer: One asset increases and another asset decreases

Equipment (asset) increases while Bank (asset) decreases by the same amount, so total assets are unchanged.

Question 62: Which document is issued to a debtor when goods are returned to the business?

Debit note
Receipt
Invoice
Credit note (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Credit note

A credit note is issued by the seller to a debtor (customer) to record goods returned, reducing the amount owed.

Question 63: What is the past tense of the verb 'to bring'?

Brung
Brang
Brought (Correct answer)
Bringed

Correct answer: Brought

'Bring' is an irregular verb; its past tense is 'brought'.

Question 64: The exchange rate is R18 to US$1. How many rands do you get for US$25?

R450 (Correct answer)
R180
R430
R225

Correct answer: R450

Rands = 25 × R18 = R450.

Question 65: What is the term for the decrease in value of a non-current asset over its useful life?

Drawings
Depreciation (Correct answer)
Dividends
Discount

Correct answer: Depreciation

Depreciation is the systematic allocation of the cost of a tangible asset over its useful life.

Question 66: On a topographic map, what does a contour line represent?

A line connecting points of equal altitude above sea level (Correct answer)
A line connecting points of equal rainfall
A line connecting points of equal temperature
A provincial boundary line

Correct answer: A line connecting points of equal altitude above sea level

Contour lines join all points on a map that are at the same height (altitude) above sea level, allowing the shape of the terrain to be read from a flat map.

Question 67: Solve for x: log_2(x) = 5.

32 (Correct answer)
16
10
25

Correct answer: 32

log_2(x) = 5 means 2^5 = x, so x = 32.

Question 68: Natural selection was proposed as a mechanism of evolution by which scientist?

Charles Darwin (Correct answer)
Robert Hooke
Gregor Mendel
Louis Pasteur

Correct answer: Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin proposed natural selection as the mechanism driving evolution in 'On the Origin of Species'.

Question 69: Simplify: (x^3 × x^4) / x^2.

x^6
x^5 (Correct answer)
x^9
x^24

Correct answer: x^5

Add exponents when multiplying and subtract when dividing: x^(3+4-2) = x^5.

National Senior Certificate (NSC) — Matric

The South African National Senior Certificate (NSC) is the Grade 12 school-leaving qualification assessed by the Department of Basic Education, covering compulsory and elective subjects including Languages, Mathematics/Mathematical Literacy, Sciences, and Social Sciences.

Questions

120 min

Time Limit

40%

To Pass

Checking for saved progress...

Exam Rules

You can skip questions and return to them later
Flag questions for review before submitting
No feedback shown until you submit the entire exam
Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
10 pretest questions are mixed in and don't affect your score
Timer auto-submits when time runs out
Your progress is auto-saved every 30 seconds